They're always on guard but this year is especially personal. NewsCenter 5's Karen Anderson got an exclusive look at what will be different this year.

Cutting edge technology, more manpower and a whole new way of detecting explosives will be on display at this year's Boston Marathon. Boston police bomb technicians will be teamed up with Boston Fire Department and National Guard hazmat crews so they'll be able to immediately identify and assess any type of potential threat that they can destroy in a matter of minutes.

One of the newest tools in the squad's arsenal is a lightweight robot with handheld controls.

"Our officers in the marathon, they will have these in their backpacks and will be able to respond to any suspicious package calls, if needed," said Boston police Sgt. Chris Connolly who heads up the unit.

The robots will be on scene, along with larger robots operated form the command center. Both can inspect, move and destroy any explosive threat.

"That's kind of what we learned from last year. As things evolve and move rapidly, you need to get the equipment there very quickly," said Connolly.

Smaller vehicles will be used to help bomb techs respond to all types of situations.

For Sgt. Chris Connolly, it's especially personal since he was one of the first responders on scene at least year's bombings.

"I ran up to the second blast sight and just started checking bags, cutting bags," Connolly said.

He said knives were crucial tools immediately following the blasts to cut open backpacks and help search for more explosives.

"It was scary, you might cut into the wrong bag and that might be the last time you ever do that," said Connolly.

In addition to the new equipment, there will be much more city, state and federal manpower standing by, and ready to respond.

"You're going to have enough assets on the ground to deal with any suspicious packages they may have out there," said Connolly

PREPARING AHEAD OF THE MEMORIAL EVENT AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE ACTUAL MARATHON DAY. THEY ARE ALWAYS ON GUARD. BUT THIS YEAR IT IS ESPECIALLY PERSONAL. TEAM 5 KAREN ANDERSON GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. TAKE A LOOK AT THE BRAND NEW TOOL IN THE BOSTON POLICE BOMB SQUAD'S ARSENAL. A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE CONTAINING A PIPE BOMB DESTROYED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. AND WE WILL HAVE THE OFFICERS AT THE MARATHON. THEY WILL HAVE THESE IN THEIR BACKPACKS AND THEY ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE CALLS IF NEEDED. THE NEW LIGHTWEIGHT ROBOT WITH HANDHELD CONTROLS WILL ALSO BE ON SCENE ALONG WITH LARGER ROBOTS OPERATED FROM THE COMMAND CENTER. BOTH CAN INSPECT, MOVE AND DESTROY ANY EXPLOSIVE THREAT. AND THAT IS KIND OF WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE LAST YEAR IS THAT THINGS AS THEY EVOLVE AND MOVE RAPIDLY YOU NEED TO GET THE EQUIPMENT THERE QUICKLY. SMALLER VEHICLES LIKE THESE WILL ALSO BE USED. I RAN UP TO THE SECOND BLAST SITE. IT IS PERSONAL FOR SERGEANT CONLEY. HE RESPONDED TO THE ATTACKS HERE. START CHECKING THE BAGS. JUST CUT BAGS. HE SAYS KNIVES WERE CRUCIAL TO CUT OPEN BACKPACKS AND SEARCH FOR MORE EXPLOSIVES. YOU DIDN'T KNOW. YOU MIGHT CUT INTO THE WRONG BAG AND THAT MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME YOU DO. MORE, CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL MANPOWER READY TO RESPOND. WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH ASSETS IN PLACE ON THE GROUND TO DEAL WITH ANY TYPE OF PACKAGES OR BAGS OR SUSPICIOUS VEHICLES THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE OUT THERE AND ALSO NEW THIS YEAR, BOSTON BOMB TECHS TEAMED UP WITH NATIONAL GUARD

A day after Trevor Noah was declared the new host of "The Daily Show," complete with the blessing of the exiting Jon Stewart, graphic tweets targeting women, Jews and victims of the Ebola virus are causing a social media backlash.